Ego clash at Pepico Amat
April arrives, and the season demands a verdict from the people in charge. Eldense shows a readiness to anchor that verdict, pledging commitment to Intercity within minutes of a crucial state derby whose contrasting streaks tilted toward a home victory.
HE old, after a three-match winless run, found refuge in the fortress Nuevo Pepico Amat has become, claiming a stronghold as the battle for top spot in Group 2 of the First RFEF raged. The task was not simple against an Intercity enjoying a peak stretch after eight straight days without a setback.
Gustavo Siviero surprised two of his team’s leaders, Xemi and Soldevila, by dropping them from the starting XI. After less than half an hour, he quickly admitted the mistake, bringing both players back on. Eldense struck twice in quick succession. Two goals that reset the week’s effort and gave the leader renewed confidence after a period of doubt.
Fernando Estevez did not hesitate either. A fifth-minute lead materialized with a brilliant Montes strike. The Barça midfielder curled the ball into the upper right corner from Ortuño, and then completed a near-flawless sequence with a left-footed finish past Gaizka. It looked like business as usual until the angle opened for a precise strike that found the target, leaving the keeper little chance to react.
The other side of the coin belonged to Intercity, where an unfortunate moment allowed the hosts to widen the gap. Elegant finished a left-flank cross with a single, measured touch, and Gaizka, initially hesitant, could not recover his rhythm in time to salvage the attempt. Clemente pounced to finish and double the advantage, widening the electronic gap and puncturing Siviero’s plan just as Intercity began to sense an opportunity to shift momentum.
Intercity dominated the ball and sought a breakthrough through combinations and long-range efforts. A shot from the edge of the box skimmed the post as Miguel Mari diverted narrowly, while Soldevila and Nsue both found themselves at the center of late chances without converting. A misplayed clearance by Juanto paved the way for a counter by Rafa Gálvez, who did not convert after a rushed finish, keeping the scoreline intact as the visitors pushed for a lifeline before the interval.
local retention
Time in the dressing room favored Deportivo, who emerged with a clear plan to deny the visitors the life-giving goal they needed. Azulgranas briefly threatened to shift the balance with a shot from inside Ortuño’s zone that Gaizka repelled with a spectacular save.
As the minutes wore on, Siviero’s team regained some control, though the gap remained. Xemi and Nsue crafted a promising combination that fizzled before Vallejo could be tested, and Cedric and Etxaniz tried to crack the Argentine coach’s fortress with incisive forays. Intercity’s attempts to spark a comeback were met with hardened resistance from Eldense’s defense, which held firm under pressure.
Soldevila unleashed another long-range effort, but it lacked direction and found only Gaizka’s steady hands. The referee’s whistle finally marked Eldense’s path to promotion discussions for the moment and signaled Intercity’s struggle to execute a plan that could overturn the deficit and stem relegation fears.
match report
ELDENSE: Vallejo; Toni Abad, Alex Martínez, Montes, Ortuño, Soberón, Carlos Hernández, Núñez, Diego González, Clemente, Juanto, and a late substitution crew led by Forte, Correria, and Jorquera appear in the final lineup.
INTERCITY: Gaizka; Guillem, Ferroni, Undabarrena, Nsue, Miguel Marí, Emre Colak, Alvaro Pérez, Rafa Gálvez, Burlamaqui, Aarón Piñán, Cedric, with substitutes contributing in the later phases.
GOALS: 1-0 Montes, 2-0 Clemente.
REFEREE: Alexandre Alemán Pérez. Núñez issued cautions to Undabarrena, Siviero, and Forte.
STADIUM: New Pepico Amat (Elda).